Photo-Op: Hue Are Here

'Of all God's gifts to the sight of man,' John Ruskin wrote in 1853, 'color is the holiest, the most divine, the most solemn.' While bright hues can look frivolous to Western eyes accustomed to churches of brick and marble, Hindu temples draw on bold palettes that seemingly reflect the sheer variety of creation. As photographed (above) by Eric Meola, the largest of the 21 gopurams, or tower gates, at the stunning Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, shimmers like a neon marquee. Rising to a height of 236 feet, the 13 tiers of the striated facade are carved with gods, columns and floral...